Educational appliance



H. M. woLFsoN EDUCATIONAL APPLIANCE Filed'Feb. 20. 1929 Dec. I6, 1930.

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Patented Dec. 16, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAROLD M. WOLFSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO MILTON BRADLEY COMPANY, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OFYMASSAGHUSETTS.

EDUCATIONAL APPLIANCE Application-filed February 2 0, 1929. Serial No.V 341,504.v

This invention relates to an leducational appliance for teaching children color blending combinations and whereby such instruction is imparted by the use of thel appliance in 5 such a subtle way that the child is not particularly conscious of the instruction being imposed upon him. In addition, the idea of the invention is to'provide a container in which crayons, tubes of color, paintV or other 1o color material, may be packed for sale and serve as a convenient receptacle for the user and the same structure or container, with its contents, serving as the educational appliance.

'15 A simple illustration of my invention with one variation is shown in the accompanying drawings: y

Fig. l shows a crayonrbox with colored crayons therein all arranged according to one form of the invention; t

Fig. 2 shows a crayon box with colored crayons therein all arranged according to another form of the invention; and

Fig. 3 shows a section through line 3 3 of Fig. 1. v

The preferred form of the invention is shown in Fig. 1. I start with a crayon box of an ordinary commercial form such as `the usual pasteboard box container in which colored crayons are commonly sold with the crayons arranged in a single row. I arrange in the box b a set of crayons in the row vbeginning at the left, in the order of the colors, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet.

Then I provide an open narrow horizontal window a through the front face of the box just below its upper edge, so that the contained row of crayons may be seen through the window. The color of each crayon isV visible either by reason of its composition color, or if the crayon is wrapped with a corresponding colored wrapper as is common to prevent smudging, then such wrapping color is visible, so. the result is the same.

Along the edge of the window on the iront face of the box and in line with the appropriate crayon, I print the colors red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet.

In line with the red. crayon, I cut in the 59 face of the box two vertically spaced little square .windows c and d. The only crayon or color that can be seen through these windows is the red crayon. I also cut similar windows e in linewith the orange crayon, f and g in line with the yellow crayon, 7L in 55 line with the green crayon, c' and j in line with the blue crayon, and lc in line with the violet crayon. It will be noted that through these small windows only the color of that crayon (or its corresponding colored wrapco per)- with which the window is in line, can be seen and that thevisible color is due to the contents of the box arranged back of the windows.

To carry out my idea as to the educational appliance, it will be noted that I have grouped the small `windows according to a definite plan; Thus, the top windows@ and f Jfor red and-yellow are on the same horizontal line and just'below this line and in this case be- 70 tween said two windows, the `window e for orangeis arranged making` up the first group of three small windows. Adjacent this group I print the fact that Red and yellow make orange. The second group is arranged belowV andstaggeredwith the first group and adjacent the appropriate windows I print` Yellow and blue make green. A In the third group the lower red7 window cl is offset far to the left but inV horizontal line vwith its so coupled window y' and there is no diiiculty in getting the visual association-:from such arrangement sothat the printing, Red and blue makeviolet is quiteappropriate to this group in a similar manner to the others. 1

I If it is preferred, mylower group may be arranged with not even a slight variation in the general appearance of such group. 'This is i accomplished by having another vred `crayon vadjacent theviolet andV placing the v Y v window CZ in line with the window. j instead of where it has been shown.v I prefer the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 since'it calls for only one set Vof crayons without duplicatingv n colors for all combinations of the several 9.5 groups." I have shown the box b with'two extra `crayons at the right, either for additional colors or duplicates, one or morey of which may be used to vary theparti'oular grouping, as I have indicated. v y

In Fig. 2 I show a box m similar to box o except that the small windows are shown Vround and the grouping is varied, but with the same fundamental idea of utility, as in Fig. l.

Some of the advantages of, and reasons for, the structural arrangement will now be pointed out. @ne is the increased visibility or strengthened impression through the eye that the child gets in the use of my colortool box as contrasted with the ordinary color tool box which has no more than printed directions to impress the beginner in color study. My appliance results in such a close visual association between the contents of the box and the directions to ybe followed that the transition step in the mind of the young bfe'- tween the tools to be used, and the directions for instructive use, is shortened. Then the play instinct is appealed to by thedesirability of properly arranging the color'tools in the box through the use of the peek-'holes 'offered by the Vsmall windows. The tool box is thus not a simple containing( structure' for the tools, but one lof* the tools itself, lending structure to the play element in the course of color instruction. The advantageous effects on the child, of v my improved box" could be dilated upon to a. considerable extent, but what has been said is perhaps enough.

There are advantages tothe manufacturer and retailer in the simplicity with which the box together with its contents is madev an attractivel and'novel article vfor display pur# poses. In'other words, it has a strong advertising appeal in trade channels. Ordinarily, a container or color tool box needs to be made attractive by vthe printing and label. YVith my structure, it is made attractiveby using practically all the colors of the rainbow from the contents of the box, and not simplyto display the contents but, by the arrangement or grouping of the windows, the small ones particularly, to arouse the curiosity as to the scheme back of such an unusual arrangement.

For the manufacturer, there is the advantage that the whole idea ofthe invention can be embodied in` his ordinary type of crayon pasteboard box or box 'for tubes of color, and without increased expense,since all vthe windows can be cut out inthe predetermined coordination at the time the box blank is cnt. Furthermore, a. less expensive label or decorative scheme on the faceA of the box canbe adopted and is in factV an advantage since the' background for the front of my ,educational appliance is preferably of the simplest character.

fl I have described three embodiments ofthe invention and it is obvious that the same idea can be carried out not only with crayons, but with tubes of water color `or other color- `making tools, in .combination with such atoolbox. f

What I claim is:

l. A commercial package of color tools comprising, color-makingV articles each appropriately colored on its exterior and arranged in a row, a box container enclosing the row, said container having a plurality of groups of small windows or peek-holes through each of which only one of said articles is prominently visible by its color, tliewindows of each group having indicia associated'therewith to suggest a factual color association for such group.

2. A commercial packagepof color tools comprisin(T different. color-making articles each appropriately colored on its exterior, a box container enclosing saidarticles, said container having a plurality of groups of small Windows, through each of which win dows only one color isprominently visible, the windows of each group having indicia associated therewith to suggest a factual color association kfor such group,`

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

HAROLD M. woLFsoN.l

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